(Click the title to read Wyman's account of this leg of his journey)
With his motorcycle handle bars repaired, replaced broken
spokes, new tires and replenished supplies, Wyman departed Ogden UT on May
29. He faced going over the Rockies
following the route of Transcontinental Railroad through Wyoming and
Nebraska. Before the railroad the same
general route was used by mountain men, then the pioneers emigrating from the east
to the western states and California gold fields. Wyman would pass relics of those past travels
while traveling to Omaha. In 1903 the
main form of public transportation was the overland stagecoach and the
railroad. Wyman, on his motorcycle was
trail blazing the dawn of the motorized age.
Those who saw Wyman along the way were astounded at his courage,
determination and effrontery attempting to ride a mere “novelty” across the
nation.
Wyman’s ride would precede others seeking to cross America
using some type of motorized vehicle. Dr.
Horatio Nelson Jackson would be the first to ride an automobile across America
finishing some 20 days after Wyman’s successful transcontinental crossing. Many more adventurers would brave demonstrations of the new motorized personal transportation potential. In December, the Wright Brothers would be the
first at powered flight. These events
would capture the imagination of the nation.
Whole industries would spring up producing both motorcycles and
automobiles to satisfy growing demand for motorized vehicles. Soon the demand for better roads and highways
to accommodate these new motorized vehicles would be built. One of the first of these new mostly paved highways
across America was the “Lincoln Highway” system. Much of the route Wyman was taking would
become part of the Lincoln Highway. Today, you
will see many references to the “Lincoln Highway” while you ride the Wyman
points along the way.
LEG 3 -- Over The Rockies And The Great Divide To The Prairies
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|||||
RON POINT
|
WAYPOINT
|
MILES
|
MOVING TIME
|
DWELL TIME
|
TOTAL TIME
|
529.3 Evanston Depot RON
|
4
|
87.4
|
1:29
|
0:40
|
2:09
|
530.4 Granger RON
|
4
|
82.4
|
1:19
|
0:20
|
1:39
|
531.4 Bitter Creek RON
|
5
|
91.5
|
1:47
|
0:50
|
2:37
|
601.9 Walcott RON
|
7
|
107.7
|
2:04
|
1:10
|
3:14
|
602.5 Lovejoy Garage
|
5
|
137.0
|
2:17
|
1:00
|
3:17
|
604.5 Cheyenne Depot
|
4
|
55.6
|
1:05
|
0:40
|
1:45
|
606.3 Kimbell RON
|
4
|
65.4
|
1:13
|
0:40
|
1:53
|
607.4 Ogallala RON
|
4
|
112.4
|
2:07
|
0:40
|
2:47
|
608.3 Maxwell RON
|
3
|
65.5
|
1:08
|
0:30
|
1:38
|
609.3 Kearney RON
|
3
|
82.1
|
1:29
|
0:30
|
1:59
|
610.4 Columbus RON
|
4
|
106.5
|
2:04
|
0:40
|
2:44
|
611.2 Flesher Bicycle Shop
|
2
|
84.1
|
1:32
|
0:20
|
1:52
|
LEG 3 TOTALS
|
49
|
1,077.6
|
19:34
|
8:00
|
27:34
|
